Apparatus for atomizing liquid material



May 22, 1951 R. T. SAVAGE APPARATUS FOR ATOMIZING LIQUID MATERIAL Filed Dec. .19, 1947 IIWfiIF... II N I I n w I 71 6125811 T Ji l T3 INVENTOR ge fi Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES APPARATUS FOR ATOMIZING LIQUID MATERIAL Reuben T. Savage, Ridley Park, Pa., assignor to Houdry Process Corporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application December 19, 1947, Serial No. 792,810

My invention relates to apparatus for atomizing liquid material which may be in admixture with vapor phase material or substantially free therefrom as desired.

In accordance with my invention, material which is at least partially in the liquid phase is passed into a chamber communicating with a pair of spaced, circumferentially complete, annular discharge passages arranged in complementary relation with respect to each other, the

operation being conducted under conditions such that the aforesaid material is directed through the respective passages to produce circumferentially complete, annular streams of material which move toward and engage each other in intersecting relation with resultant formation of a stream of atomized material having the desired configuration.

More particularly, the annular passages referred to above are disposed in facing relation with respect to each other and, accordingly, the respective streams of material passing therethrough engage each other in a, preferred manner, namely, in head-on relation to thereby obtain the desired atomizing action in a highly effective manner.

My invention relates further to an atomizer for effecting an atomizing operation of the character described above. In one of its forms, the atomizer of my invention comprises a, housing or casing to which the liquid and/ or vapor phase material to be atomized is admitted, said housing and members carried thereby being constructed and arranged to define a pair of spaced, circumferentially complete, annular discharge passages arranged in complementary relation with respect to each other and utilizable in the manner described above. 7

Various other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.

My invention resides in ap aratus for atomizing liquid material, features and combinations of the character hereinafter described and claimed.

For an understanding Of my invention and for an illustration of one form of my novel apparatus, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation, showing one form of my novel atomizer; and

Figs. 2 and 3 are horizontal sectional views taken on the respective lines 22 and 3-3 of 'Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring particularly to Fig. l, the atomizer of 3 Claims. (Cl. 299143) my invention i shown as comprising a, chamberdefining housing or casing l which, at its upper end, is internally threaded, as indicated at Ia, so that there may be associated therewith the externally threaded portion of a sleeve 2, the latter, in turn, being internally threaded for the reception of the externally threaded lower end of a feed pipe 3 which may form the sole support for the atomizer. The lower interior portion of the housing 5 defines an upper surface lb which may be frusto-conical if desired, said surface lb merging in accordance with the invention, into a lower frusto-conical surface le which converges in a downward direction and terminates at the lower end of said housing I. lsurface le thereby defines the sides of a, first frusto-conical chamber which is, as shown in the drawings, circular in transverse section and concentric with the axis of the leasing.

As indicated at Ed, the housing I may be internally threaded for the reception of a ring 4 which comprises a plurality of horizontal ribs 4a engaging each other in intersecting relation at the center thereof. Formed integrally with the ribs 4a and depending therefrom is a, member 412, the longitudinal axis of which coincides with that of the aforesaid fru'sto-conical surface le. A plurality of ribs 40 project horizontally from the member ib and are formed integrally with a ring-shaped member id, the periphery of which has frustoconical configuration as indicatedat 4e.

As shown in Fig. l, the member 417 extends below the casing i where it comprises an upper circular flange if and a lower threaded portion 4g which extends through a central passage formed in an annular member 5. The member last named seats against the flange 4) where it is held by :a nut 6 threaded to said portion 4g of the member 4, the parts being related to each other in such manner that the upper surface Of the annular member 5 is suitably spaced below the surface of the casing i so as to define an annular port P utilizable as hereinafter described. As illustrated in Fig. l, the annular member 5 defines .an inner fru'sto-conical surface 56 which, except for the port P, forms a continuation of the aforesaid fru sto-conical surface le of the casing 1. Surface 5e thereby defines the sides of a second frusto-conical chamber in the terminal portion of the casing, which chamber is circular in transverse section and communicates with the first frusto-conical chamber, as can be seen from the drawings. Since surface 5e forms a continuation of surface le except for port P, the sides of the aforesaid two chambers lie in a common plane As is clearly indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, one annular portion of the surface 4e forms an annular passage in with the surface 16 and another annular portion of said surface 4e forms an annular passage pl with the surface 5e, these passages being disposed in complementary, facing relation with respect to each other. By annular passages of the character stated, I mean passages which, throughout the circular length thereof, are free from ribs or other port-defining meme bers. As shown in Fig. l, the surface 4e. should be inclined to some extent with respect to the surfaces la and 56 so that the depth of the passage pl is somewhat greater than that ofthe passage-p. The diameter of the passage p i isIess than that of the passage 7) and, hence, by selecting a proper degree of inclination of said surface 42., itresults that the amounts of mate ial traversing the respective passages per unit of time is: substan-- tially equal.

The device of my inventionis adapted to atomize any suitable liquid material and,.if vapors are mixed. therewith, these vapors, likewise, maybe of. any suitable character. However, a preferred application of my invention involves the; charging: of hydrocarbon material, either mixed phase material or substantially solely liquid phase ma terial, to my noveldevice for atoinizing purposes. When the charge material. is: of the character stated, the atomizer of the present invention may be. utilized: in lieu of the atomizer disclosed in Patent No. 2,548,912, issued on April 17, 1951, for atomizing and engaging hydrocarbon material with falling contact material having conversion temperature. drocarbons, the atomizer of my invention-may be utilized in any other desired manner.

When the charge for the atomizer herein disclosed is mixed phase hydrocarbon material, the proportion of vapor phase and liquid phase material may be such as is suitable and desirable. Thus, for example, a charge having, approximately 70% to 90% more or less thereof in the vapor phase may be supplied to the pipe 3 from any suitable source. of supply, not shown, under pressure such, for example, as from 1.0 lbs. to 200 lbs. per square inch gauge or which is otherwise adequate to cause the atomized mixture to reach its intended destination.

During operation, the aforesaid mixed phase material is charged under suitable pressure, for example, as stated into the chamber defined by the housing I. As a result, circumferentially complete, annular streams of such material are directed tirough the respective passages p, pl. Due to the described frusto-conical relation of these passages. to each other, these streams move toward: and engage each. other in. head-on relation and, due to such engagement and also due to the presence of the barrier defined-1 by the ringshaped member 411, there is produced a circumferentially complete-stream of atomized material which existsv as a. mist or fog and, in a diverging manner, passes along an inclined path as indicated, for example, in Fig. l by the aXisC.. With an arrangement of' this character, efi ient and satisfactory atomization of the liquidmaterialresuits by reason of the fact that the aforesaid annular streams of. material engage each other in head-on relation as specified and,,further, because the ring-shaped member 452 forms a defleeting barrier utilizable in the manner stated above.

In my aforesaid pending application, the disclosed atomizer is shown as disposed within a- Or, in the art of converting hy- Ill? tubular curtain of freely falling contact material with which the atomized material is engaged. With an arrangement of this character, it is desirable for the atomizer dimensions to have minimum value so as to lengthen the path of travel of said atomized material before engagement thereof with the contact material. In. the atomizer of the pending application, the material to be atomized is ejected through alined pairs of ports arranged in circular row formation whereas, as. regards. the atomizer of this application and as disclosed, a pair of annular passages are utilized in lieu of the aforesaid port arrangement; With an: atomizer of the character last noted, the dimensions may be appreciably smaller above.

When liquid phase hydrocarbon material is charged through an atomizer, undesirable obstruction tofree fiow of the material may result byreason of deposition of carbonaceous material. To substantial extent, an action of this character is minimized when the material to be atomized is directed through apair of annular passages as disclosed herein rather thanthrough sets of alined ports as disclosed in said: pending application. As regards carbonaceous deposits, the annular passages are advantageous compared with thesets of alined ports by reason of. thefact that there is less chance-of bridging or plugging. Further should this occur to the same extent in both types of atomizers, operating emciency remains higher with the annular passage type than with the alined port type.

Previously herein, the annularpassages 1 pl have been described as disposed in facing relation so that the respective streams of material traversing said passages engage each other in headon relation. However, the invention isnot to be thus limited because these annular passages-may be otherwise. suitably arranged with respect to each other in desired angular rather than facing relation. In either event, said streams of mate rial engage each other in intersecting relation. as described in claim language.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the invention as hereinbef ore set forth may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof and, therefore, only such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In an atomizer comprising a casing and a conduit for the passage of liquid communicating with said casing, the combination of a first casing portion communicating with said conduit. and having at its terminus a first frusto-conical shaped chamber, said chamber being concentric with the axis of said casing and tapering toward said axis in a terminal direction, a terminal portion of said casinghaving therein a second frustoconical chamber communicating withv said. first frusto-conical chamber, the conical surfaces of said first frusto-conical and second frusto -conical. chambers lying in a common plane, said terminal portion of the casing, being spaced from said first mentioned portion of the casin so as to define av continuous annular discharge port concentric with the axis of said casing, and a passage forming ring member extending into both of said frusto-conical chambers and spaced between the surfaces of: said frusto-conical chambersnndthe aximof said casing so. asto define two frustd-conical annular passageways.

2. In an atomizer comprising a casing and a conduit for the passage of liquid communicating with said casing, the combination of a first casing portion communicating with said conduit and having at its terminus a first chamber, said chamber being circular in transverse section and concentric with the axis of said casing, a terminal portion of said casing having therein a second chamber circular in transverse section and communicating with said first chamber, the sides of said first and second chambers lying in a common plane, said terminal portion of the casing being spaced from said first mentioned portion of the casing so as to define a continuous annular discharge port concentric with the axis of said casing, and a passage-forming rin member extending into both of said chambers and spaced between the surface of said chambers and the axis of said casing so as to define two annular passageways terminating at said port.

3. In an atomizer comprising a leasing and a conduit for the passage of liquid communicating with said casing, the combination of a first casing portion communicating with said conduit and having at its terminus a first chamber, said chamber being circular in transverse section and concentric with the axis of said casing, a terminal portion of said casing having therein a second chamber circular in transverse section and communicating with said first chamber, the sides of said first and second chambers lying in a common plane, said terminal portion of the casing being spaced away from said first mentioned portion of the casing such as to define a continuous annular discharge port concentric with the axis of said casing, a passage-forming ring member extending into both of said chambers and spaced between the surface of said chambers and the aXis of said casing so as to define two annular passageways, a support member extending longitudinally and concentrically to the axis of the casing to said terminal portion of the casing, said terminal portion being removably engaged with said vertical support member and a plurality of ribs extending from said ring member to said support member.

REUBEN T. SAVAGE.

a REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,075,742 Weintz Oct. 14, 1913 2,049,141 Schneider July 28, 1936 2,174,695 Frickie Oct. 3, 1939 2,275,691 Simanton Mar. 10, 1942 2,492,998 Lassiat Jan. 3, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 20,272 Norway July 4, 1910 231,656 Germany Feb. 28, 1911 

